Hard Tack and Coffee: Soldier's Life in the Civil War

by John Davis Billings, Charles W. Reed (Illustrator)

Originally published in 1888, Hard Tack and Coffee became an immediate best seller. Its author, John Billings, had served with the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. Writing from his own experience, the author's unadorned style carries the reader right into the everyday life of the ordinary soldier in the Union Army.

Genres: Civil War, History, Nonfiction, American Civil War, Military Fiction, Memoir, American History

408 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1887

Reviews

[Adrienne Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all time favorites. Good old John Billings. Don’t you just love a soldier who gives you the inside dirt with some wit and great illustrations? I do. John enlisted in The Army of the Potomac, but don’t let that remind you of the boring history teacher with coffee breath and endless baseball analogies. While reading this book I was thinking, “Wow, I really have a crush on this guy! He’s giving me everything I need to know about the daily ups and downs of soldiering back in the day–the slang, the food, the music and the complete jerks who could spoil a perfectly good campfire. I’m pretty sure I would have married him if I knew him.” But that’s how I get when people give me stuff and put illustrations (done by another soldier who lived through the Civil War) in their books.

I got lucky though–I found a veteran of my own who will occasionally throw a salty sailor story my way–but for the rest of you there’s Hardtack and Coffee

[Mary Catelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

The go-to book if you want the details of army life in the American Civil War. Having discovered that boys were as fascinated by the details of army life as much as the battles, and realized that all the memoirs were about the battles, he wrote a book about the details. How they did get enough food, but quality was another matter. Regimental badges. Why it was the mark of a green soldier to be ashamed of lice. What they did in camp in down time. Why mules were only used behind the lines. And a lot more.

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a difficult book to review because of the subject and because of the author. I have a fetish for Civil War stories and have read many soldier memoirs and diaries. That is what I expected here. I was intrigued by the name of the book because a sense of humor is unexpected in Civil War memoirs. The name of the book tells you more about the book than anything. I know more about the staples of the Civil War than I thought possible. I know there was normal Hard Tack [bread] and I know there was soggy hard tack which came in two varieties, normal and flavored with maggots. I also know that the Union soldiers soon learned how to deal with both. If you dipped your bread in the coffee it killed anything. The most surprising issue about this Civil War classic was the authors dry sense of humor which often after a sense of confusion, left me laughing. This book covers everything from food to pontoon bridges to signal corps to tent building to engineering marvels to mules, horses and most of the behind the scene aspects of a war. After reading many Civil War novels this was the first that left me with the feeling that I was there. I have seen a number of Civil War collections and now I know why the book is included with the best.

[Keith Akers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was well written and entertaining, a 19th century account by a Union soldier. One warning: there are no accounts of battles here, and it is not really told in any chronological order, although the part about enlisting does come first. Rather, it is about camp life. He talks about living in tents, army food, a typical day in camp, badges, signal flags, and so forth. There's even a chapter on the army mule. So if you want to get a sense of what it was really like in the Army during the Civil War, this is an excellent account.

[Elliot H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly insightful and enjoyable read, but it is not what I was expecting. I expected a very anecdotal recounting of an officers life during the Civil War, but the author sets out instead to provide an overview of the general experience for any serviceman in the Union army. The author is well-read and his writing is intelligent and witty. His sarcastic humor interspersed throughout made this book an enjoyable read.
It was interesting to see how much hasn’t changed in military service from complaining about the government, to the playing of practical jokes, the shamming and avoidance of labor by some, the longing for home and letter correspondence with those on the home front, the patriotism and heroics of soldiers, and above all the camaraderie and brotherhood.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're at all interested in Civil War History, this is an intriguing book of essays about life in the Army of the Potomac. AND it's a primary source, first published in 1887 and written by a soldier who served almost from the start of the war. I read the kindle edition which is only 99 cents. Unlike some paper books, it was clearly proofread following whatever scanning process they used to generate the electronic text as I noticed very few artifacts of that process.

The sections are not long -- reading time from 10 to 30 minutes for most -- and cover a wide variety of subjects relating to the author's time in the army. I found it interesting to dip into now and then over several months; some sections were, to me, more interesting than others but, in all cases, it was rather fascinating to realize it was a first hand account. He does not discuss at all the 'rightness' of the war but rather just what life was like as a soldier. There are no 'battle scenes'. This is about what the men did when NOT actively fighting.

[George W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The daily grind of an artillery soldier in the Union Army. Well written, author has a great sense of humor in the telling. I rate it right up there with CO. AYTCH for readability.
The Author has respect for his fellow soldiers and the enemy as well. He doesn’t lay blame for mistakes made, he simply details how some orders affected the movements of the soldiers who fought the war.
It is refreshing that despite the hardships of the war, he doesn’t seem to harbor any bitterness in his writing of his experiences.
If you’re a fan of all books Civil War you will enjoy this bit of history I believe.
My edition did not have illustrations as some other reviewers have mentioned that theirs did have some by another Civil War veteran, not the Author.
Another great Book giving a Confederate Soldier’s story of the war is CO. AYTCH! A Rebel soldiers memoirs on the War of Northern Aggression by Sam R. Watkins!

[Scott Ericksen · Rating 3 out of 5]

War is Hell, and in my opinion, the Civil War was the greatest waste of human life that America has had to endure. Brothers fighting brothers, enemies who worshiped the same God, and Generals who would have been hanged for war crimes had they committed these acts today. Having said that, Billings does a fine job of articulating what the common foot soldier had to do in order to get by the daily rigors of army life in the 1860’s. The book does not read like a novel, but is more in the line what a text book might use as a resource when describing this part of our history.

[Pat Stanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential read for students of the Civil War

As a general read, this book might be considered as a bit boring. But for a Civil War enthusiast, it is a wealth of information on general army life told by one who was there. And for a student of the Civil War, I would call this an absolute essential book to help understand the life of a foot soldier and his surroundings.

[Charles Temm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book. Written w/a dry period humor that has worn well over time.

Billings did his time during that war as an artilleryman and like many post war vets found himself being questioned by the upcoming generation about it all. He outlines the entire process from enlistment, training, chow, and the mules who supported the troops in the field.

Having been a CivWar reenactor/living historian for over 15 years, it was amazing how much we did that actually emulated his and the experiences of millions of others who wore blue or gray during the War. Many had told me the book was a grand one and it'd be familar to any who've worn the harness of a soldier of the period. They were absolutely correct too, so much of what he writes about is seen in reenacting plus much of it is familiar even to a modern soldier/Marine.

Nicely done and a great way to see into a world largely hidden in history books but still practiced by the reenactors of the period.

[Jack Goodin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An all time favorite and a must read for anyone even tangentially interested in the American Civil War. One of the most unique books written about the war. The book drops all the pretenses of classic ACW writing that includes the commanders and battles. Instead it goes over in great detail all of the minutae and realities of being a Union soldier. The author additionally has an easy way of writing, and is at times humorous, other times solemn, which makes for a fairly easy but enjoyable read. Lastly, sketches which were drawn by an artist of the various goings-on in day to day life in the army litter the pages, delightfully adding visual representation of what the author is discussing. All in all, if you're vaguely into history and non-fiction, or you need a detailed account of army life during the ACW, this book is certainly for you.

[Jim]

Not really my type of book in this format. Might be in paperback since it is supposed to have a lot of illustrations. Certainly the text doesn't describe things well enough. I thought it would be since it is told from the first person perspective & describes a Union soldier's life during the US Civil War. It wasn't too bad with mustering, but the descriptions of physical objects was very lacking. Didn't care much for the reader, either.

No, I didn't like it, but I'm not going to star rate it since it only has one other star rating. From the little I got through, I think it was pretty well researched.

[k w smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want detail and intricate facts of the life and regulations governing the union soldier this is the book. This author had undertaken the most specific research of the routine and structure that surrounded those troops which he also clearly endured. However if you want real detail of his personal accounts of his life and battle, it is not there . It’s almost as if he’s drawn up the facts but wasn’t actually there or distanced from it and never actually fought in battle? Frustratingly ly it’s clear this author appears to be a seasoned campaigner but sadly doesn’t discuss the real experiences he has had ?

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reads almost like having a chat on the front porch with a favorite uncle who has come to visit, and is reminiscing about his days in the Civil War. At the same time, it has an eye for accuracy and detail that will make it invaluable for historians. Except for the odd chapter on mule trains and the like, it is a very readable and entertaining book, and covers a wide range of the experience of the common soldier during the war. Heartily recommended to anyone interested in the period.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myself being a retired army logistician, thoroughly enjoyed the daily life of civil war soldiers. It is a good book to better understand the way equipment moved, what men ate, slept in, mules, horses and oxen. A great book to read and help explain to you children how things were done during the Civil War.
The English writing is a bit challenging to understand at times. You will need a dictionary near by to fully understand the descriptions. Educate yourself and read this book.

[L.e. Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful first hand account of all the daily details of Union army life in the Civil War. Extremely important for people to get the full picture of hardships and struggles that the soldiers faced every day. Does not cover warfare but discusses just about everything else. Truly helpful to fully envision the civil war experience. I highly recommend!

[Miles Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book at a secondhand bookstore for very little. It proved to be quite the bargain. HARDTACK & COFFEE is a witty, informative, occasionally touching (or grim) account of what the everyday life of a Union soldier was like during the Civil War. It's not an account of battle, but the mechanics of living in an army between 1861 - 1865, from the prosaic to the practical. Billings, a former Union artilleryman who served throughout most of the conflict with the Army of the Pomotac, discusses everything from tent life, mail call, food and supply, bugle calls, Army mules, horse burial details, sick call and care of the wounded, the work of engineers and signalers, to personality types commonly found in the service. He talks about everything and seemingly omits nothing, throwing in sketches and personal anecdotes to color the already lively narrative -- lively because Billings was a fine writer and had a masterful command of the baroque style of speech common to the 19th century, but also possessed a wonderful sense of humor spiked with irony. Although there are some chapters that are a bit dullish, going into particulate detail about tents or pontoons or the way signalers worked their flags, I have almost never read anything which gave a clearer picture of the nonbattle aspects of war from a soldier's perspective...and the nonbattle aspects are, of course, most of what soldiers face during war: camping, marching, eating, waiting, drilling, fatiguing, and trying to amuse themselves in the long periods (sometimes months) between battles.

The book is not all wit and information. The reality of the war itself gently overshadows much of the story. Billings speaks of executions by hanging and firing squad, not only how they were carried out in theory but in his personal experience; of men sickened and felled by disease; of wounded left on the field to die; and of the terrible slaughter of service animals of all kinds, both in battle and due to ailments, overuse, drowning, or other accidents, and also due to "mercy" killings. But these grisly and tragic touches only serve to remind the reader that however funny and entertaining much of the detail provided in this book may be, death was always lurking around the corner both for man and beast.

In sum, this is not only an entertaining read, it is a perhaps unique look at aspects of the Civil War that many historians only touch lightly upon, if it all, delivered by a man who saw it all with his own eyes.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that what makes this book work is that it doesn't purport itself as a history, rather, as one man's opinions and experiences. Billings also includes many primary sources, interviewed other veterans, and is open about his sources throughout the book, often using first-person language or acknowledging that he is describing the experiences he had because he knew them best. I also think the origin of this book, the story of the teen boys at the hotel, is sweet. Billings' primary motive in this book is not to glorify his side or the Union cause, rather, it is to make sure that the footsoldier's story is told accurately.
The book includes many useful details both of a Union soldier's daily life in camp, including bugle calls, but also of the role that other Union parties played- the engineers, the importance of badges, the horses, the importance of supply trains. Billings' writing is engaging, and often I found myself completely enraptured in descriptions of bridge-building or the importance of mules. Billings included a lot of great humor, especially jokes in regiments.
I also think Billings was quick to both defend parties that had been in great contention at the time (notably, not the Confederates), and to acknowledge the faults of many Union men. Billings includes his personal opinion at many points when defending parties, which I found valuable, as it showed the perspectives of both this man and the country/veterans at the time. Occasionally, the constant defenses or attempts at giving benefit of the doubt got annoying, and I wished Billings would return to the story of army life.
The illustrations were usually helpful and clear, but also included racial caricatures of some black mule drivers, which were offensive.
Overall, this is a great look at Union soldier life, though I wish it maybe were a bit longer, including a bit more broad strokes.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely a joy to read from start to finish. If you are looking for a first hand source of Army life and specifically the life of a soldier assigned to the Army of the Potomac, this book is for you. I feel that this book was written with the future in mind. The level of detail about items is incredible. I learned so much of the various activities of daily life and the similarity to current military life is striking.

I will say that some of the saddest chapters to read in this book is about the horses and mules of the Army. The author is also impacted by this greatly and the chapters on this topic are touching to read. This is not a book of campaigns and battles. They are mentioned, but this is more about a soldier’s life.

[Michael Philliber · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun, historical book. The author, a Union Soldier for most of the Civil War, describes much of the normal day-to-day affairs of a Civil War soldier. From recruits and rations, to lice and living conditions. In 21 chapters Billings recounts the actual details of the normal soldiers conditions and actions. He doesn’t explicate battles and campaigns, but the more human aspects. I would imagine that his Union experiences would almost completely translate to his Confederate counterparts. To think that he penned this volume in 1881, within close living memory of the events, adds even more import to his words. For anyone interested in the Civil War, or soldering this is a book one needs to find and jump into.

[Phil Edmondson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book for research purposes. It was definitely worth the read. I enjoyed the authors anecdotes and descriptions of different issues of a Union soldier throughout the civil war. His description or rations and soldier kit caused me to laugh. It may be from over 150 years ago, yet similar gear and complaints about the food haven't changed.
If you are going to read up on the American Civil War, do read the histories, also read memoirs like this so you have a better feel of what life was like for the typical soldier involved.

[Chris Sunderland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in 1887 by John Davis Billings and illustrated by Charles Reed, both of whom served in the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War, this book captures the daily life of the men that served in the war. Billings accurately shares the soldier's life, from enlistment, to training, to the means of shelter offered the men, to their rations or lack there of, to the army mules and the birth of the signal corps. He does not delve in battle plans and tactics, but the life the men endured during the long war. The illustrations are excellent, complementing Billings' descriptions perfectly.

[Erik Sapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy much of this book. The author does a good job of explaining a lot of things about Army life during the Civil War - how camps were set up, what day-to-day life was like. But towards the end, there was too much detail. Exact descriptions of all of the army, corp, battalion, and regimental flags, how quartermaster wagons were used, how pontoon bridges were built. I know there are a lot of people out there who really love that stuff, but I'm not one of them.

[Allen Kearns, Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little slow

I've heard it said that a soldier's life in the Civil War was 95% boredom and 5% terror. That, in a way, describes this book. The author sets out to describe a soldier's existence in the Union Army so I guess he was stuck with this ratio. The book is entertaining in spots and educational throughout. If you're a Civil War enthusiast it is well worth reading. If your looking for more of a thrill try Company Aitch by Samuel Watson.

[Anita Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

packed with fascinating information

I have learned so much from this book! I had never really thought through the implications of so many soldiers being thrust into battle so suddenly. I have quite a few Civil War soldiers in my genealogy and kept imagining what they went through as I read through the book. I messaged a Civil War enthusiast friend of mine to recommend it even before I finished reading it!

[Sean McClintock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alittle boring but informative.

John Billings does a good job of describing his experiences and others that he has collected. Mainly, the topics covered are outside of the battlefield. But some combat stories are slipped in. Some overlooked topics are mentioned, like logistics and signal men. Overall, if an enthusiast you should definitely try this book but it can get slow with the lack of action.

[Kevin Rumsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different perspective

A unique, and intricate view and accounting of the "nuts and bolts" of Army(Mostly Union) Life of the Civil War. Which adds to the humanity of most Civil War books, that only retell battle stories of Generals. Without the rank and file in the trenches of War, Commissioned Officers above O5 are nothing.

[Kevin Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Open your eyes and see what life was like for the common man who served in the Union Army during the US Civil War. This book will do that for you. Written by a man who served during this terrible time in US History. From how they slept in tents to how mule trains operated, this book covers most of the day to day actions of the common solider rather then focus on the war. Loved this book !

[Russell G Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and engaging account of life in both the federal

And rebel forces during the civil war of instances and events which occurred in the engagement, and may not have been thought worthy of publication at the time.

[Brent Firebaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book covering many items from the daily life of soldiers in the American Civil War. This is not a book recalling battles or combat. Rather it covers many things often overlooked such as clothing, food and rations, pests, and drill that was part of an everyday soldier's life.